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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22660456">not a date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren'>carefulren</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Carlos has bomb ass taste in music, Intimacy, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Valentine's Day, and TK just knows that he's way in over his head, and he knows TK really well, but what's so bad about that?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:20:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22660456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos just so happens to invite TK over on Valentine's Day to "hang out," and it's not a date. Definitely not a date.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>281</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>not a date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>[New Message from Officer ReYESSS] Busy?</em>
</p><p>TK cocks one brow and drags a slow gaze around the living room where he’s been slowly molding into the couch on a rare day off. He thumbs the camera on his phone, snapping and sending a quick picture of his current state. </p><p>
  <em>[New Message from Officer ReYESSS] I’ll take that as a no. Come over.</em>
</p><p>TK’s eyes can’t help but stare a little too hard at the date glowing on his phone, February 14. Valentine’s Day, a bit of a sore spot for him since... He huffs out a small sigh and slides his fingers across the keys, pointing out what day it is. </p><p>
  <em>[New Message from Officer ReYESSS] Jeez, TK. I’m not proposing a Valentine’s date. Just wondering if you wanted to hang out, but since you’re so busy...”</em>
</p><p>TK can practically hear Carlos’ dragging out the words, can perfectly imagine the small pout pulling at his lips, and he rolls his eyes, typing out a quick show of defeat, a small agreement, and then he moves from the couch for the first time in hours, bones popping uncomfortably as he pulls his arms up into a long stretch. He glances toward his keys resting on the table, contemplating quietly before forgoing the keys entirely. He slides his sneakers on, slips a light pink hoodie over his head, and sucks in a deep breath, working through a few light shoulder rolls and leg extensions before starting out the door into a light jog. </p><p>He breaks into a decent sweat in the twenty minute run, the Texas heat still clinging to the air despite the sun sinking far below the horizon. He’s a little sticky when he stops before Carlos’ apartment door, tugging lightly on the collar of his hoodie as he raps his knuckles against the door. </p><p>It doesn’t take long for Carlos to answer, and when he does, TK puffs out a small huff of air he wasn’t fully aware he’s been holding, relieved to see Carlos sporting only a short-sleeved navy blue shirt paired with light gray basketball shorts, a comfortable and casual appearance. </p><p>“Hey,” Carlos says easily, leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms as he drags his eyes from the sweat beading at TK’s temples, down to the flush of his cheeks, stopping briefly at his heaving chest. “I could have picked you up.” </p><p>“I wanted to run,” TK says, distracted, a little breathless, as he peers around Carlos to see a dining table void of any candles or too-fancy glasses filled to the brim with wine he can’t enjoy. </p><p>Carlos follows his gaze with a loud sigh, stepping out of the way. “Don’t worry,” he calls, turning on his heel and starting back into the apartment. “This isn’t a date.”</p><p>For a moment, TK can’t will his feet to make the step, to cross the threshold into Carlos’ apartment, but then Carlos looks over his shoulder, a small frown pulling at his lips. “Are you going to run again?” </p><p>Hesitance colors TK’s eyes, something he can’t quite control, but he shakes his head, breathes out a small sigh, and wills his mind to hush so he can take the step into Carlos’ apartment, following the quick smile that pulls at Carlos’ lips. </p><p>He slips his shoes off and pads after Carlos into the kitchen, leaning against the table as Carlos pulls a pizza from the oven. “Dinner?” He asks, tilting his head, both brows arched, and Carlos rolls his eyes. </p><p>“It’s pizza, not a five-course meal.” He holds TK’s gaze, and TK’s unyielding for an endless moment, a hint of amusement pulling at his features before he finally glances down. </p><p>“Cauliflower crust?” </p><p>“Of course,” Carlos drags out, waving the pizza under TK’s nose. “Who do you think I am?” </p><p>*****</p><p>“What’re you doing?” TK mutters around his fourth slice of pizza, pulling his gaze from the movie credits rolling on the TV to Carlos walking toward a record player. </p><p>“Let’s dance.” Carlos plucks a record from a shelf on the wall, and TK chokes on a large bite of pizza, inhaling around a strangled laugh when “Old Town Road” starts humming from the record player. </p><p>“Are you serious?” TK coughs, an easy smile curled at his lips, and Carlos sways his hips in time with the slow rhythm, gliding smoothly back toward TK until he’s pulling TK to his feet, ignoring the plate of half-eaten pizza slipping from TK’s lap to the floor. </p><p>“This may be the most Texas thing I’ve done since coming here.” TK’s light on his feet, moving with Carlos’ movements as Carlos twirls him around the room, one hand resting easily on his hip while the other cups the small of his back. </p><p>“You line danced.” </p><p>“I know,” TK drags out around a giggle, and he drops his head to Carlos’ shoulder, inhaling his cologne. “The weirdest part is that you aren’t even drunk.” </p><p>“Nope,” Carlos says, popping the ‘p,’ “I’m not going to drink until you’re ready.” </p><p>“So chivalrous,” TK mutters around his grin, brows arching when Carlos pulls away as soon as the song ends. </p><p>“What? No ‘Panini’?” </p><p>“New song,” Carlos says, quickly flipping through his records until the quick intro of  ‘Shape of You’ begins to bounce against the walls. </p><p>“Ed? Really?” He stumbles when Carlos grabs both of his hands, fingers lacing together as he guides both over their heads, hips moving faster, matching the rhythm. </p><p>“Don’t judge.” </p><p>TK’s laughing, confused in a way that brings warmth to his chest, and Carlos guides him around the living room in quick time with the beat, lightly singing as his hands glide from TK’s sides down to his hips. TK gets lost in Carlos’ voice, in the song, in the quick, hot movements, and then he’s pushing his lips to Carlos’, and Carlos stumbles back a little, lips smiling around the kiss as he pulls TK through the open doorway to the kitchen and swings TK onto the kitchen counter in one, easy movement, lips still drinking in TK’s the entire time. </p><p>“Show off,” TK mutters around Carlos’ lips, and then his head is tilting back when Carlos’ lips drag down his neck, his hand tugging at TK’s collar so he can nip at TK’s collarbone. </p><p>TK’s hands slip under Carlos’ shirt, and he moans deep in his throat when Carlos’ glides his lips back up his neck, biting at his lower lip, gently, but enough to have TK’s digging his fingers into Carlos’ skin. He moves with Carlos’ easy, almost practiced movements, losing his control to Carlos’ passion, to the way Carlos kisses as if pulling air from his lungs, to the way Carlos’ tongue leads in a darkened dance that could steal the night away. </p><p>TK’s hands trail lower, thumbing at Carlos’ shorts, a muted invitation that Carlos breaks away from with a light grunt, fingers curling around TK’s wrists as he hesitantly pulls from the kiss. </p><p>“Are we relocating?” TK asks, breathless, lungs hungry to be swept away once more, but Carlos shakes his head before leaning forward to brush a light kiss to TK’s forehead. </p><p>“Not tonight.”</p><p>“Why not?” TK pushes, eyes flicking across Carlos’ soft, too-close gaze, trying to read past the dark color that brings a faint weakness to his knees. </p><p>“You’ll run as soon as we’re done,” Carlos explains, leaning forward to press his lips to TK’s once more, his body trembling with a burning desire to chase the heat blooming in his chest and up and down his limbs. It’s hard to break the kiss, but he does, stepping away almost reluctantly. “And that wouldn’t be a good end to our date.” </p><p>“Date?” TK parrots back cautiously as Carlos whips around on his heel and starts back toward the living room, and Carlos glances over his shoulder, a wide smiling playing at his lips. </p><p>“Date? Who said anything about a date?” </p><p>TK can’t help the laugh that slips through pressed lips as Carlos shrugs dramatically and turns back toward the living room, and he slips off the counter and follows after him. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is not whump, and I'm a whump writer, and I have no idea what I'm doing writing anything that's not whump, but I wanted to write this, so here we are. (Hi, run-on sentence, how are you?)</p><p>Feedback is always appreciated! </p><p>Come say hi on tumblr! (@toosicktoocare)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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